1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to processing a print job. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for providing capabilities matching for cluster printing in a heterogeneous printing environment, including performing copy splitting, document splitting, color separation, pool printing, finishing, sheet assembly, and the like.
2. Background and Related Art
Techniques currently exist that enable a print job to be processed. For example, a user typically initiates a print job by selecting a printing device and specifying one or more print options associated with the printing device. Once the print job is initiated, the printing instructions of the print job are passed to the printer driver corresponding to the selected printing device. The printer driver generates the print job, which is then spooled to a spooler. The spooler then despools the print data on an immediate or delayed basis to the print processor associated with the selected printing device. If the print job contains rendered data, the print processor writes the data directly to the port manager of the selected printer.
If the print job includes journaled data, the print processor plays back the journaled data to the corresponding printer driver, which converts the journaled data into rendered data and spools the print data to the spooler. The spooler then despools the print job on an immediate or delayed basis either to the print processor (e.g., WinN7/2K/XP), which writes the print data directly to the port manager of the selected printing device, or directly to the port manager (e.g., Win98/Me).
Each printing device typically includes options that are specific to that particular printing device. Examples of such options that are currently available include optional finishers, trays, duplexing capabilities, etc. The options are displayed by the printer driver and can be grouped into device independent options (e.g., number of copies) or device dependent options (e.g., stapling). Device dependent options are generally stored and retrieved from a common location. For example, device dependent options in the Microsoft Windows® family of operating systems are referred to as device configuration settings and are preserved in the system registry.
Configuration settings of a printing device are automatically set during installation or manually set after installation. For example, once the network address is set for a network-printing device, the installer may query the device for its specific configuration (e.g., SNMP/IPP). Alternatively, in the Microsoft Windows® family of operating systems, device configuration settings may be set from the properties menu for the device settings property page.
Current printing techniques include the ability to divide a print job amongst a plurality of printers and/or routing a print job to the best-match or most available printer in a printer pool. This process is typically referred to as “cluster printing.” One example of cluster printing utilizes firmware support that is located in the printing devices. The printing devices support tandem printing within the firmware where a cable connects the marking engines of two printing devices. The firmware, via the front panel, divides the print job(s) between the two printing devices. (The Sharp AR-507 with tandem cable kit option is an example of this technique.)
Another example of cluster printing provides cluster support through the use of an additional hardware resource, commonly referred to as a print server. The print server generally involves a high-performance general-purpose computer to which print jobs are directed to via a network. The print server includes a specialized software application that allows a print job or copies thereof to be split amongst two or more printing devices that are managed by the server. (Calisto® is an example of this technique.)
Another example of cluster printing includes hardware support that provides high-end solutions generally for color raster image processor separation. The process generally includes dedicated high performance raster image processor and clustering servers, and a server that contains a specialized software application to allow a print job or copies thereof to be split amongst two or more printing devices that are managed by the server. (T/R Systems Velocity® is an example of this technique.)
Thus, while techniques currently exist that enable a print job to be processed, including techniques that enable cluster printing to occur, challenges still exist. For example, print jobs become misprinted due to the mismatching of printing capabilities within the printing environment. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace current techniques with other techniques.